In 2008, the skill of guangcai was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item, as one of the best representatives of Guangdong's pottery and porcelain art.

Du said after that, they saw growing support from the nation, as the government endeavored to sustain this unique technique.

To ensure the inheritance of this traditional craftwork, Tan has cooperated with many universities and institutions. His studio is an internship base for the South China University of Technology, various Guangzhou-based art institutes and technical colleges.

Students join the studio during their summer or winter vacations to learn guangcai techniques with Tan.

The studio has cooperated with the Guangzhou government to select 20 students from impoverished areas of Guizhou province in Southwest China. The students will move to Guangzhou next June and start a three-year training course with Tan.

He said that some of his students have opened their own studios worldwide, from Malaysia to Jingdezhen, which makes him incredibly proud.

They plan to expand their global market and export guangcai to Spain, Egypt, Canada and other countries.

Tan received a special government allowance from the State Council in 2014. "Although the amount is not much, it shows the government's care and support for traditional culture, which gives me a lot of confidence," Tan said.

He crafted more than 1,000 gifts for guests attending the 2017 Fortune Global Forum. He said that it was a good way to promote guangcai, using such a leading global platform.